This invention relates to vending machines and in particular to an auxiliary dispenser for vending machines for dispensing gum and mints and similar articles.
The vending machines now in use typically comprise a cabinet, a merchandise delivery bin at the front of the cabinet, and a plurality of horizontal shelves with spiral vending mechanisms inside the cabinet above the bin for dispensing merchandise to the bin when a customer deposits money and makes a selection. The bin is typically positioned conveniently above the bottom of the cabinet for easy access by the customer to remove merchandise from the bin. This results in some empty or "dead" space behind the bin and below the horizontal shelves and spiral dispensing mechanisms. In a prior invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,867, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, the so called "dead" space was utilized for placement of an auxiliary dispenser for gum and mint and the like. That dispenser proved very effective and has been utilized for many years. However, with the addition to the industry of new products in the gum and mint varieties there have been introduced varying sizes for packages that cannot be. accommodated in the prior art dispenser since it has fixed product guide rails and a fixed size product pusher that ejects the products from the product storage area. There is therefore a need for a more versatile auxiliary dispenser that can vend a greater variety of sizes and shapes of packages than heretofore possible.